Any suggestions of pet loads for a model 83 44 mag. 6" for whitetails?

[mray]

Well, do ya?  I have one on order and it should be here in about a month... I wanna have something to feed it when it gets here.

Thanks in advance

MR

[Ken ONeill]

Starline brass, but any will do. 240 gr. Sierra JHC, 24 gr. WW 296, CCI 350. I use 23 gr. of 296 in my other .44's but the FA prefers 24 gr., which was also Winchester's standard recommendation for many years for the .44 Mag.

[Lloyd Smale]

Id like to help but you need to answer a few questions. What weight of bullet are your going to use. What powders do you have on hand and what kind of velocity are you looking for?

[mray]

I do have a few "ingredients" on hand, but I'm more than willing to explore some new components.  I'm looking to see what others are doing and would be glad to start from scratch, if necessary.

[Graybeard]

For white tails my favorite is 24.0 grains of W296/H110 and a 240 grain Hornady XTP or Nosler 240 JHP. For a milder cast bullet load that works on deer and even on tougher critters I tend to use either the Lyman 429244 or 429421 bullet and 17.5 grains of 2400. Those are the loads I shoot primarily in .44 magnum.

[mray]

Ok, let me ask you this...  How (if at all) do you load differently for a FA as opposed to a Ruger?  Is there a difference?  I would think that the FA is technically stronger, but does anyone take advantage of that strength?

[SM]

My friend has got a FA .44 and he has loaded some very long rounds for it. He has used the second crimp groove with 300gr bullets thus increasing the capacity of the case. He loaded as long as 44,5mm. As Taffin stated in the Book of the .44, you should check the fit for your cylinder before you make a bunch of them. It depends on the bullet's profile whether it fits when loaded that long.

I remember the specific powder charges (VV N110), which were somewhat over the max if you compare to the loading data of the shorter (normal length .44 ammo) OAL round with the same bullet. Those jacketed 300 grain bullets were doing 1450 fps out of a 6" barrel. The casings extracted normally etc and the loads were accurate as anything. In recoil the gun started to feel a bit like a .454 though...

[Graybeard]

Ok, let me ask you this...  How (if at all) do you load differently for a FA as opposed to a Ruger?  Is there a difference?  I would think that the FA is technically stronger, but does anyone take advantage of that strength?

NO I do NOT. I load ALL my various .44 magnums to the same pressure levels. If you are one of those who think more velocity and more pressure is the answer to a non asked question then I suggest you just skip over revolvers and move onto either the various specialty single shots or to rifles and be done with it. Straight wall revolver rounds do not kill via high velocity and adding a few more fps is of no consequence in the killing equation. It's bullet weight and diameter that matter NOT velocity in straight wall revolver rounds. You really should learn that or move on to other firearms for your hunting.

As to the comment on making rounds longer using the second or lower crimp groove I can do that in all the various .44 magnum guns I own to include S&Ws. I've spent precious little time on Ruger guns so am not really sure about them.

[Lloyd Smale]

FA does not recomend and will not warantee a gun that you shoot rounds out of that are higher then standard pressures

[mray]

greybeard

Please tell me why velocity is not a factor in killing with handguns but is for other weapons.  Doesn't the shock of velocity come into play to some degree? Is the size and depth of the hole all that matters?  If so, why do people even shoot hollow points or other expanding bullets that might prevent a pass through?  And if only penetration matters, then I can't see how a 38 cal hole would be all that less effective than a 44 cal hole, as far as killing power goes...

[Graybeard]

Not enough velocity for it to really matter. Another 100 or even 200 fps is irrelavant. I use JHPs on deer cuz they seem to create a bit more damage to the internal organs (heart/lungs) than do cast. But as I've said often cast always works I just feel that on think skin easily killed critters like deer the JHP works a wee bit better.

[Gun 4 Fun]

Gotta gowith Graybeard on this. I don't know where you hunt, but where I hunt anything you can do to make the deer fall down faster is a BIG plus. Some places here a deer can go 75-100 yards and be on the next guys farm and our state law says you can't go after 'em without permission from the owner, who can be hard to locate during deer season. So either your deer spoils or someone on his land finds it and claims it.
The Hornady XTP seems to work great on deer, expanding nicely butstill able to penatrate any normal deer with decent shot placement.

[Lloyd Smale]

try a 250 cast semi wadcutter with 20 grains of 4227 and a ww primer. If that load doesnt shoot in your gun the bullet never will. Its a comfortable but powerful load that will take any animal up elk sized animals with power to spare. Another go to load is the same load but using 18 grains of 2400.

[rimfire]

Is that IMR 4227?

[myronman3]

429421 bullet and 17.5 grains of 2400.

mine loved this exact load. the guy i traded it to went and developed a favorite load for the same gun...care to guess what he came up with?     without and suggestion from me, he used a lyman 429421 over 17.5 grs 2400!   i could shoot empty 12 gauge shells at 15 yards free hand all day long.  one shell i would shoot, pick it up, put it back, and shoot it again.  i shot it three times then put it in my pocket as a keepsake.